Tank construction



Oct. 20, 1936. SCHQRER 2,058,03

TANK cons'mucnon Y Filed March 20, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORNEYS;

. Oct. 20, 1936. H. SCHORER TANK CONSTRUCTION Filed March 20, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I15 I16 l W w H &

7 F f T INVENTOR: J'zE'Mfl/V Sch 02 e,

ATTORNEYS Patented Oct. 20, 1936 N STATES -H M FFI Herman Schorer, Valhalla, N. Y., assignor to Box-sari Tank Corporation of America; New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application March 20, 1936, Serial No. 69,869

9 Claims. (CI. 72-43) This invention relates to storage tanks and the like and has particular application'to monolithic tier buildings for beerstorage, although-it: may beused for other analogous purposes with equal efficacy. r t I The main object of the invention is to provide a tank construction in which proper drainage of the floor and ceiling surfaces is obtained toward a corner point at one end of the tank. I Another object is to provide a concrete tank construction which permits uniform arrangementlof the reinforcing bars and uniform height of the form boards throughout the length of the tank. l5 Still another object is to provide a monolithic tank building eliminating waste of concrete material and permitting simplification of the steel reinforcement.

. A further object is to provide a monolithic tier building of practical and simplified construction in which the available space is better utilized for the storage of liquid. 7 j

Other objects will be in part obvious and in parthereinafterpointed out in connection With the following analysis of the invention wherein is describedand illustrated a preferredmode of carrying out. the inventive concept.

In the .drawings:5 Figurejlflis a cross-se'ctionlof a tank building ,Eigure2 Visa sectionalong the line i-Z of Fig. 1 showing the construction of the forward embodying the invention. 7

: part ofthe tank- I i; Figure li is an isometric perspective View of a 3 part. of the tank construction.

construction. Figures 5, 6 andfl are sections along the lines 55, 6- 6 an'd'l-l respectively of Figure 4. As conducive to a clearer understanding of ,the improved construction about to be described in relation to prior construction and practices, the following short explanation of its application to the brewing industry may beadded. Originally, the beer was stored in wooden 'casks placed in-yast underground'vaults, but in comparatively recent years, tall reinforced concrete buildings having specially lined tanks were substituted for thejold method; These buildings may be about50 x '75 feet plan and 100 feet high.

Through the adoptionof rectangular tank sections andf the'arrangement of the tanks. in tiers, 'itj'wasp ssi ble to obtain a maximum utilization ofthe's'p'acej t he'se rectangular tanks must be shaped so 'j Figure fl is a diagrammatic view of the floor.

as to give adequate floor drainage upon removal 7 of the liquid; Being normally closed, they must also have provision for proper drainage or complete removal of gas (CO2) or air accumulations at the highest point of the ceiling. w

The method heretofore used for obtaining proper drainage of the tanks consistsin inclining'the floor and ceiling of the tank, so as to give a downward slope to the floor; and an upward slope to the. ceiling. towards the front end or 10 service end of the tank. When emptying the tank-the liquid will fiowtoward abottom outlet valve located at the lowest point; During the filling operation,,gas or air will rise towards tlie highest point of the ceiling, where the air out- 15 let'or lounging apparatus is located. 7 This construction alsonecessitates alateral sloping of thefloorand the ceilingtowards the lowest and highest point respectively in order to insure proper drainage. 20

The resulting wedge-shaped construction of the floor or ceiling slab of this conventional'tank causes considerable waste of concrete material above the minimum slab thicknessrequired; for structural reasonsand loss of useful storage space. In additionft he variable thickness of the slabs separating the tanks in the tier causes expensive form work, since the form boards are 'not of uniform height throughout theleng'th of the tank; The variablethicknessalso requires a variable spacing of the reinforcing steel or a non-'uniformthickness of the reinforcing bars throughout the'length of the tank.

of the tank. The rearend of the slab is disposed 1 horiiontally, or'slightly'inclined'in a cross-wise direction. This cross-wise slope gradually increases towards the front end or ser'vice end of V "the tankQl 5 Thus, complete dramage of the floor as well as g of the ceiling is obtained towards a corner point 0f the service end' of the tank. While in the conventional tank heretofore used, the floor .as 'wellasthe ceiling had to be given a special later- 50 al slope in order to insure proper. drainage.

- 7 Referring to the drawings, reference character l0 indicates. generally a- .tank' building. 5 This building may. be reduced to a mere shellaof cork and brick lveneer supported/by .thefiankconstruction itself. Reference numeral II indicates generally an air conditioning room from where air is circulated through the building.

The fermentation tanks are generally indicated at I2 and I3 respectively. It will be noted that the modification shown in Figure 1 shows two rows of such tanks. Tanks I2 and I3 are supported on the upper ones of the storage tanks I4 and I5 by means of supports I6 The storage tanks I4 and I5 are arranged in tiers and in the modification shown in the figure in two blocks of five stories each. This arrangement may of course, be varied according to the practical requirements.

The front ends or service ends I6 of the tanks face towards a work aisle I'I separated by platforms I8 and through which the air from the air conditioning house II is circulated. The work aisles in the different tiers may be reached by stairways or elevators (not shown in the drawings).

The different tanks I4 and I5 are separated by means of a slab I9. The rear end 20 of the slab or the end opposite to the service end of the tank is disposed horizontally or slightly inclined in a cross-wise direction. The cross-wise slope gradually increases toward the front end 2| as illustrated diagrammatically in Figure 4 of the drawings, so as to give the slab I9 a warped or twisted appearance about its longitudinal axis. In other words, the center line of the slab is substantially horizontal while the lateral edges slope. In the modification shown in the drawings the degree of the slope is approximately 2% of the length of the tank. The thickness of the slab I9 is constant throughout its length.

Thus the tank floor of each tank slopes toward the work aisle I1, reaching its lowest point at the draw-off cook 22. The tank ceiling, on the other hand, slopes gradually upwards to its highest point at the air outlet or bung fitting 23 where the gasand air are collected and conducted towards the bunging apparatus (not shown). It will thus be seen that the lowest point of the floor and the highest point of the ceiling are diagonally opposite.

The tanks are usually provided with corner haunches 24 which serve to reinforce the structure. Interior cooling coils 25 may be provided within the tanks.

It will be noted that this type of construction permits the use of form boards of uniform height throughout the length of the tank, combined with complete elimination of waste in concrete material and a considerable simplification of steel reinforcement.

Due to the compactness of the tank layout resulting from the invention, the space required for aging the liquid, such as beer and wine, has been reduced to a minimum. A corollary to the space saving is the saving effected in refrigerating costs, since a minimum surface area of walls and roof is exposed to the air temperature. The liquid fills every inch of space in the storage section of the structure with the exception of the few narrow work aisles.

Operation of the installation is simplified and through the absence of any inaccessible corners or hidden parts of the structure, the installation is made more sanitary.

It is obvious that various changes and modifications may be made in the details of construction and design of the above specifically described embodiment without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed ist 1. In a tank construction, a floor slab and a ceiling slab, said slabs being disposed at substantially a right angle with the sides of the tank at one end thereof and twisted about their longitudinal axis so as to incline in a cross-wise direction gradually towards one corner of the opposite end, said inclination progressively increasing from one end to said opposite end, the length of the side walls being of constant height from one vertical edge to the other.

2. In a tank construction, a floor slab and a ceiling slab of constant thickness throughout their length, said slabs being disposed at substantially right angle with the sides of the tank at one end thereof and twisted about their longitudinal axis so as to incline in a cross-wise direction gradually towards one corner of the opposite end, said inclination progressively increasing from one end to said opposite end, the length of the side walls being of constant height from one vertical edge to the other.

3. In a tank construction, a floor slab and a ceiling slab parallel with each other, and of constant thickness throughout their length, said slabs being disposed at substantially a right angle with the sides of the tank at one end thereof and twisted about their longitudinal axis so as to incline in a cross-wise direction gradually towards one corner of the opposite end, said inclination progressively increasing from one end to said opposite end, whereby the lowest point of the floor will be diametrically opposite the highest point of the ceiling, the length of the side walls being of constant height from one vertical edge to the other.

4. A tank building comprising a plurality of superimposed tanks, the partitions separating said tanks being substantially parallel with each other, and disposed at substantially a right angle with the side of the tank at one end thereof and twisted about their longitudinal axis whereby they are made to slope gradually towards one corner of the opposite end of the tank, said inclination increasing progressively from one end to said opposite end, the length of the side walls of each of said superimposed tanks being of uniform height from one vertical edge to the other.

5. A tank building comprising a plurality of superimposed tanks, the floor slab of one of said tanks constituting the ceiling slab of the adjacent tank, said slabs being disposed at substantially a right angle with the sides of said tanks at one end and twisted about their longitudinal axis so as to slope gradually in the same direction towards one corner of the opposite end of the tank, said inclination increasing progressively from one end to said opposite end, whereby the lowest point of the floor will be diametrically opposite the highest point of the ceiling.

6. A tank building comprising a plurality of superimposed tanks, the floor slab of one of said tanks constituting the ceiling slab of the adjacent tank, said slab being disposed at substantially a right angle with the sides of said tanks at one end and twisted in a parallel direction about their longitudinal axis so as to slope gradually towards one corner of the opposite end of the tank, said inclination increasing progressively from one end to said opposite end, whereby the lowest point of the floor will be diametrically opposite the highest point of the ceiling, means for draining the contents of said lowest point and means for air and gas drainage at said highest point, said slabs being of constant thickness and -the length of the side walls of said tanks being of constant height from one vertical edge to the other.

7. A monolithic tank building comprising a plurality of superimposed tanks having a service end and a rear end, means in the service end for draining the contents of said tanks in one corner and means for draining the air and gas in the diametrically opposite corner of said service end, the slabs separating said superimposed tanks being disposed at substantially a right angle withthe sides of the tank at said rear end and twisted in a parallel direction about their longitudinal axis was to slope gradually downward to said contents drainage means of the tank and correspondingly upward to said air drainage means of the tank below, said inclination increasing progressively from one end to said opposite end, said slabs being of constant thickness and the length of the side walls of said tanks being of constant height'from one vertical edge to the other.

8. A construction for fermenting, storing and aging of a malt beverage comprising partitions connected and arranged to form at least two chambers disposed one over the other and having a common partition one face of which constitutes the floor of the upper chamber, the other face of said common partition constituting the ceiling of the lower chamber, said common partition being of substantially uniform thickness throughout and having a relatively slight 1ongitudinal twist about its longitudinal axis, said inclination increasing progressively from one end to said opposite end, whereby all of the liquid beverage in the upper chamber can drain from one corner of the upper chamber and whereby all gases tending to accumulate in the lower chamber incidental to the fermenting and aging process can vent from the lower chamber at one corner thereof.

9. In a tank construction, a floor slab and a ceiling slab, said slabs being twisted about their longitudinal axis so as to incline in a crosswise direction gradually toward one corner of the opposite end, said inclination progressively increasing from one end to said opposite end,

' the length of the side walls being of uniform height from one vertical edge to the other.

HERMAN SCHORER. 

